Door frame construction



Dec. 15, 1959 c w KELLY DOOR FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 26, 1956INVENTOR. CLYDE W. KELLY ATTORNEYS 2,916,781 f DOOR FRAME CONSTRUCTIONClyde W. Kelly, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Fenestra,

Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan The presentinvention relates to a corner construction for the metal frame of adoor.

It is an objectof the present invention to provide a corner constructionfor a metal door frame thatwill :allow the frame to be shipped inknocked-down condition and easily assembled at the place'ofinstallation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cornerreinforcement for a metal door frame that can be attached to one of themembers and not interfere with the nesting together of the members sothat they will require a minimum amount of space during shipping andstoring.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cornerreinforcement for a metal door frame that will hold the joint firmlytogether and close the crack at the joint.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a view of a door frame just prior to assembling.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one corner of the door frameshown in Figure 1, before the members are assembled.

Figure 3 is a view of the members shown in Figure 2 after they areassembled.

Figure 4 is a side view of the members shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the corner reinforcing member.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown generally at a knock-downdoor frame comprising a head 12 and two jamb members '14. A cornerreinforcing member 16 is attached to the jamb members.

The jamb members 14 have sideportions 20 and 22 with one edge turnedinwardly to form the flanges 24 and 26. The sides 20 and 22 are mitrecut as at 28 and 30 with the edges 32 and 34 of the web portions 36 and38 extending toward the center of the jamb from the lower end of themitre cut. Tongues 40 and 42 project from the edges 32 and 34. Thedoorstop 44 is intermediate the webs 36 and 38. The upper edge 46 of thedoorstop is offset downwardly as at 48.

The head 12 has the side portions 50 and 52 with one edge turnedinwardly to form the flanges 54 and 56, having apertures 58 and 60 inthe flanges. The side portions are mitre cut at 62 and 64. Web portions66 and 68 have the edges 70 and 72 extending toward the center of thehead from the lower end of the mitre cuts. The edges 70 and 72 extendangularly and outwardly at 74 and 76 and then toward the center of thehead. The slots 78 and 80 are located outwardly beyond the edges 70 and72. The doorstop 82 is intermediate the sides of the head. The head andjambs are fabricated from sections rolled from the same dies so thattheir contours are identical in shape and size.

The corner reinforcement is preferably made from sheet metal and has aflat portion 84 which is bent over on 'three sides to form a top 86, abottom 88, and an end 90. The top and bottom portions have the cornerstrimmed off as at 92 and 94 for purposes which will later be described.Apertures 96 and 98 are also in the top and bottom portionsrespectively. Two welding projections 100 are raised outwardly on theend portion.

The reinforcement 16 is electrically welded as at 102, to theinsidesurfaces of the flanges 24 and 26 of the jamb member with the use of thewelding projections. The reinforcement is positioned so that the top 86comes slightly below the surface 104 of the jamb.

It will be noted that by turning the reinforcement member upside downthat it can be used at either the right hand or left hand side of thejamb, thus avoiding the necessity of different right hand and left handreinforcing members.

The reinforcing members are welded to the jambs during fabrication inthe shop and it will be noted that they are positoned on the jambs sothat the space "between the flanges 24 and 26 is left open. The oppositeor bottom end of the jambs (not shown) is also open between the flanges.

The two jambs are nested together by placing the sides 20 or 22 andflanges 24 or 26 of one jamb in the open space between the sides andflanges of the other jamb of the pair of jambs of the frame so that theyrequire minimum space during shipping and storage. This is permittedsince the reinforcing members are completely housed within theprojection of the space between the flanges 24, 26 and the opposedportions of the web. Thus, the reinforcing members do not in any wayobstruct the space between the side walls of the frame members and theflanges thereon. This is accomplished by forming the reinforcing memberswith a width substantially equal to the width of the sides of the framemembers and by forming the flanges on the reinforcing members of a widthsubstantially equal to the flanges on the frame members.

To assemble the frame the head member 12 is slipped down on the jambmember 14 with the reinforcing members 16 sliding into position alongthe inner surfaces of the sides 50 and 52 of the head until the mitrecut edges 62 and 64 abut against the mitre cut edges 28 and 30 of thejamb as indicated in Figure 3. The tongues 40 and 42 pass through theslots 78 and with notch 92 and 94 of the members 16 providing clearancefor the edges 74 and 76 of the head. The doorstop portion 82 fits into acutout above the doorstop 44 of the jamb. The hole 58 is positioned sothat it registers with hole 96 and hole 60 registers with hole 98. Theslight clearance between the upper surfaces of the reinforcing membersand the edges 104 of the jamb allow self tapping sheet metal screws 108to draw the head and jamb securely together. The tongues 40 are bentover to complete the assembly. The opposite jamb is assembled to thehead in a like manner.

The present invention provides a construction which allows the framemembers to be shipped in a knockeddown condition in a compact packagethus requiring a minimum of space without damage to the parts as thereare no projecting members to become bent or knocked oif and theconstruction can be easily assembled at the place of installation. Thereinforcing members are constructed to provide a sturdy corner with nothrough cracks at the mitre joint.

It is understood that the above disclosure describes the preferredmanner of construction with a door frame, but the reinforcement and itsmanner of assembly may be used equally as well with metal frames forwindows or other similar uses.

The drawing and the foregoing specification constitute a description ofthe improved door frame construction in such full, clear, concise andexact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice theinvention, the

scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

. 1. A door frame comprising head and jamb frame members adapted to beshipped knocked-down and assembled 'on the job, said members being ofthe same cross-sectional shape and comprising a channel having a web,side walls and opposed flanges extending inwardly of the channel fromthe edges of said side walls remote from said web and parallel to saidweb, adjacent ends of said members being mitered to provide inclinedabutting end surfaces on said side walls in assembly, a pair ofreinforcing elements connecting each end of said head member to theupper end of one of said jamb members, each of said reinforcing elementsbeing in the form of a flat plate abutting the inner surface of the endpoition of one of the side walls of one of said frame members, saidplate having first and second flanges extending from adjacent edgesthereof generally perpendicular to the plane of said plate and to eachother, said first flange of said reinforcing element being permanentlyconnected to the inner surface of the end portion of one of the flangesof said one frame member, said plate extending 4 beyond the mitered edgeof said one frame member, the second flange of said element beinglocated at the edge of said plate which is positioned beyond saidmitered end, the flanges of said reinforcing element having a width notsubstantially exceeding the width of the flanges of said frame member,said plate having a maximum dimension measured perpendicularly from saidfirst flange not exceeding the width of the side walls of the framemembers, said second flange having means thereon providing fordetachable connection to the other of said frame members.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1 in which-the plate of saidreinforcing element is rectangular and has a third flange thereonparallel to said second flange and at the opposite edge of said platetherefrom, said third flange also having means thereon for detachableconnection to a frame member to provide for use of said element ateither side of said frame member.

2,052,121 2,652,907 Miller Sept. 22, 1953 2,741,344 Herr Apr. 10, 1956

